Crime & Safety
Man Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison for West Des Moines Baby's Death
Matthew Elliott was convicted in April of child endangerment causing death and willful injury causing injury.
A West Des Moines man charged in a baby's death in 2008 was sentenced Tuesday, according to KCCI.com.
The Des Moines Register reported that Matthew Elliott received the sentence of 60 years in prison.
In April, a Polk County jury found Elliott guilty of child endangerment causing death and willful injury causing serious injury in the death of Alexis Gilbert in January 2008, KCCI said.
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Prosecutors said Elliott slammed the baby into the floor of her family's home in West Des Moines. His lawyer blamed the baby's death on her then-16-year-old mother, the TV station reported.
Elliott was originally charged with first-degree murder. A jury in 2009 convicted him of child endangerment and willful injury, but the Iowa Supreme Court granted a new trial after ruling a lower court wrongly admitted hearsay testimony that was biased against him, according to KCCI.
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